That quote, “other duties as assigned” has become a catchphrase in my library. It refers to the things we find ourselves doing as part of our work that aren’t in the job description and not what our MLS degree education (where required) prepared us for. It could be ice skating in a chipmunk costume, building life-size people from chicken wire, or playing with mud. Why would we volunteer for such things? And why, as managers, would we encourage our staff to do the same?
Opportunity
• We do them primarily because it’s a way to keep the fun in our work. C’mon, imagine getting paid to be an ice-skating chipmunk.
• Fun in our work feels like play, and play is known to stimulate parts of the brain not always used during routine tasks such as ordering materials or creating schedules. Staff can learn a new task better when work is fun.
• As a manger, participating in these “other duties” demonstrates leadership, not asking staff to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself, thus encouraging them to follow your lead.
• Staff can demonstrate skills they haven’t had opportunities to show in their daily work, including problem solving, budgeting and physical project management. These qualities can help staff showcase their potential and advance their careers.
• “Other duties” usually spring from staff’s ideas for new projects and services, fostering a work environment of creativity and empowerment.
• One of the most satisfying takeaways “other duties” offer is a genuine team-building experience, working with staff from departments all across the library in an unconventional setting.
Keys to Success
• It’s important that staff is asked, not required, to participate in “other duties” and aren’t penalized if they do not volunteer.
• Staff buy-in increases when they’re part of the planning process and boosts any effort’s success.
• Staff isn’t expected to sign up for everything; they choose what their workload allows and piques their interest.
• Projects are vetted from inception to implementation so staff members understand what’s expected of them.
Could an employer’s expectations for staff to comply with “other duties as assigned” become a burden? Yes, it’s possible, and the solution is likely very situational, individual…and a topic for a future blog post if there’s interest. In the meantime, participation in “other duties” is, for each of us, an avenue to dream big and ask, “why not?”. For your staff, it demonstrates both leadership and the satisfaction of bringing your very best to your work.
In the comments, please share your stories of the unusual, “other duties as assigned” jobs you’ve found yourself doing.
This blog post was written by Marybeth Kozikowski on behalf of the Managing Children’s Services Committee.
This post relates to ALSC Core Competencies I: Commitment to Client Group, II: Reference and User Services and IV: Collection Knowledge and Management.
